Tuesday, 5 February 2013

Ricotta isn't just for quick pasta sauces - you can also use it to whip up a quick and easy pudding. Sweetened with honey and vanilla and layered over some berries, it will give you a delicious dessert in less than 30 minutes. You'll only spend one of those minutes making it, the rest waiting impatiently for the oven to do its thing. The finished pudding is like a light cheesecake, creamy and smooth and actually pretty healthy.

I suggest using frozen berries for this. A bag of those in the freezer will mean you can always knock together a simple dessert without having to run to the corner shop for an overpriced Mars bar.

Baked ricotta (serves 2)You will need:

2 heaped tbsp berries

200g ricotta

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 tbsp honey

Make it!

Preheat your oven to 160C/320F/gas mark 3.

Pop a tablespoon of berries into each ramekin. Mix together the ricotta, vanilla and honey in a small bowl, then divide between the ramekins. Shake gently so the ricotta mix sinks to the bottom, then smooth the surface.

Place on a baking tray and cook for 20-30 minutes. It should be just set and lightly golden.

Leave to cool, then turn out onto a plate. Serve with a drizzle of honey and some more berries.